Apparatus for conditioning thread



.1. GIFT 2,243,844

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIGNING THREAD June 3, 194-1.

Filed Jan. 18, 1940 Patented .iune 3, 1941 APPARATUS FQR 'CONDITIQNHNG THREAD John Gift, Temple, Pa., assignor to Rosedale Knitting Company, Reading, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania 3 Claims.

This invention relates to the conditioning of thread to render it pliable and prepare it for use in textile manufacture. More particularly, the invention is concerned with an apparatus by which a conditioning liquid may be applied to a thread and the excess liquid removed therefrom so that, at the completion of the operation, the thread is workable and ready for use, for example, in knitting. The apparatus may be employed for various purposes, but since the principles of the invention may be utilized to special advantage in the conditioning of threads of natural silk or synthetic fiber, such as that known commercially as Nylon, to prepare them for use in the knitting of full fashioned hosiery, an adaptation of the invention for that particular use will be described in detail for purposes of explanation.

In full fashioned hosiery manufacture as now carried on, the threads used are drawn from cones or other packages and on their way to the knitting needles are treated with a conditioning liquid and for this purpose, the threads are commonly passed in contact with pads of felt saturated with the liquid. While this arrangement is generally satisfactory for the conditioning of natural silk thread, the pads require replacement from time to time and threads made of certain synthetic fibers cut the pads so rapidly that the cost of replacement and the loss of machine time involved make their use for applying the conditioning liquid open to serious objection.

The apparatus for practicing the invention may conveniently take the form of a vessel of any suitable material containing a pair of guide eyes for each thread in its opposite walls, Between the eyes are mounted one or more rods beneath which the thread passes, and these rods are so arranged that the thread passes beneath the surface of the conditioning liquid in the vessel. Leaving the last rod, the thread passes to the outlet eye and on its Way thereto is forced out of its direct path by means of an edge. This edge is preferably formed on a blade attached to a base, the edge being a hard material, such as glass. The position of the edge with reference to the thread is such that the thread is caused to make an abrupt change of direction in passing over the edge. Beyond the edge is a baflle against which impinges the liquid thrown free from the thread by reason of its change in direction and the liquid intercepted by the bafiie returns to the main body of liquid in the vessel. Preferably the scraping element is made wholly of glass and it includes a pair of spaced, parallel blades, each having a sharp edge at its top over which the thread passes.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view through one form of apparatus for practicing the method of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectiona view on the line 22 of Fig. 1 with a part removed;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device with a part removed; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are end views of modified forms of an element employed in the device.

Referring to the drawing, the device illustrated comprises a vessel H] which may be of any suitable material, SUJCh as sheet metal. This vessel is of such a length as to permit the treatmentof the desired number of threads and in the case of a full fashioned knitting machine, the vessel may extend throughout the length of two of the machine sections and be approximately three feet long. The vessel rests on a suitable support, such as the top of the knitting machine at the rear, and, if desired, it may be provided with leveling means, such as a bracket ll secured to each end wall l2 through which is threaded a screw l3 bearing against a foo-t l4 and adjustable by a wing nut l5 at the top to raise or lower the end of the vessel.

The vessel is supplied with liquid by means not shown and the liquid is maintained at a predetermined level, such as those indicated at A or B. The kind of liquid used depends on the nature of the thread being treated and may be water or any of the various conditioning liquids appropriate and commonly used for the purpose.

The rear wall I6 of the vessel is preferably flared outward to leave additional space on the support and in this wall are thread guide eyes I! of the type commonly used for the purpose. As many eyes are provided as there are threads to be conditioned and in alignment with each eye I: is another eye iii in the front wall I9 of the vessel. Within the vessel are guide rods 20 mounted at their ends in suitable supports and for this purpose, apair of walls 2i may be mounted in the vessel to lie parallel to and inward from the end walls thereof, the walls 2! having notches 22 in their upper edges in which the rods 20 may be seated'. Preferably the pairs of notches in the opposed walls 2| are of increasing depth from the rear to the front of the vessel and more notches are provided than the rods to be used at a given time. Thus, in the construction illustrated, there are four notches and three rods and by changing the position of the rods, the length of the path beneath the liquid of the threads 23 passing under the rods on their way from the eyes ll to the eyes I8 may be varied. By shifting of the rods and adjusting the level of the liquid in the vessel, the threads may be caused to take up a greater or less amount of the liquid in their passage through it.

The rods 20 are preferably hollow glass tubes with practically no buoyancy and since the rods force the threads out of their normal path between the guide eyes, the rods place tension on the threads and this tension remains constant and is not variable as would be the case if buoyant rods were employed.

Adjacent the front wall I9 of the vessel in position to act on the threads emerging from the liquid, means are provided for removing the excess liquid from the threads and in the device illustrated, the means referred to takes the form of an element 24 which comprises a base 25 and a pair of blades 2%, 26b rising therefrom and lying parallel. Each blade terminates at its top in a relatively sharp edge and preferably the blade 26a is slightly taller than the blade 2%. The element 26 is mounted on a suitable support, such as a plate 2'! extending between the end walls 12 of the vessel, and is disposed in such position that the threads passing from the last rod in the series to the guide eyes I8 are forced upward out of their normal path by the element. In passing over the edge of blade 26a, the threads make an abrupt change in direction and as a result, liquid is removed from the threads partly by the scraping action of the sharp edge of the blade and partly by the inertia of the liquid carried by the thread as the thread abruptly changes its direction in passing over the sharp edge. The liquid thus thrown from the threads impinges upon a baffle plate 28 which may be formed as an extension of the front wall 59 of the vessel and overhangs the element 24. Upon leaving the edge of blade 260 the threads pass over the edge of blade 26b and thence pass to and through the guide eyes H2. The edge of blade 26b removes additional liquid from the threads and at the edge, the threads make another change in direction which causes a minor amount of liquid to be thrown free by inertia, the liquid impinging upon the baffle 28 and front wall 19. Any liquid which drops down into the space between the blades flows along the top surface of the base 25 to the ends of the element 24 and then drops off the end of the support 27 to fall back into the vessel. The support may also be provided with openings 29 for drainage.

The edges of the blades 25a, 26b, with which the threads contact, are subjected to Wear by the threads and are, therefore, made of a hard material. Vitreous material, such as a hard glass, has been found well suited for the purpose and preferably the element, including the base an jd blades, is made of glass and as a single unit.

In the form illustrated in Fig. l, the element 24 includes two blades extending forward from its side edges and this construction has been found to be satisfactory. If desired, however, the element may have different forms, as for example, as shown in Fig. 5, it may include a base 30 and three blades .3la;, 3Ib, 3Ic rising therefrom.

With this construction, the blades 3m and 3i 0 remove some of the liquid by a scraping action, and the blade 3la both scrapes the threads and subjects them to an abrupt change of direction so that liquid is removed by inertia.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of element comprising a base 32 having a single blade 33 rising therefrom and when this element is used. it is disposed in such relation to the path of the threads that the latter pass over the edge of the blade with an abrupt change of direction and liquid is removed therefrom both by scraping and by the inertia of the liquid carried by the thread.

The device of the invention is simple and compact and by adjustment of the guide rods and the liquid level, the conditioning liquid may be applied to the threads to produce the desired effect and the liquid carried by the threads may be removed therefrom to such an extent that the threads leaving the device are in pliable and workable condition and carry no undesirable amount of liquid. The guide rods, which are preferably of glass and serve both to guide the thread beneath the liquid and apply tension thereto, are subjected to relatively little wear and by making the liquid removal element of glass, it has been found that the edges of the blades show no perceptible wear after long periods of use. The element is preferably made somewhat shorter than the length of the vessel and it may, accordingly, be shifted endwise to expose new parts of the blades to the threads, if wear should occur. The device thus contains no parts which require frequent replacement and remains in working condition indefinitely.

While I have found that a liquid removal element of glass is most satisfactory, other materials, such as wood, synthetic resin plastics, and metals, such as brass, may also be employed. Elements of such other materials perform their functions equally satisfactorily, but are not as durable as those made of glass.

I claim:

1. A device for conditioning a thread which comprises a vessel for holding a conditioning liquid, means for guiding the thread along a course in which the thread passes beneath the surface of the liquid, means including a sharp edge defined by two planes intersecting at an angle less than located beyond the point where the thread emerges from the liquid for removing excess liquid from the thread, the guiding means for the thread including means located beyond said sharp edge and so positioned with respect thereto as to cause the thread to change direction abruptly as it passes over said sharp edge, whereby excess liquid is removed from the thread at said sharp edge by the scraping action thereof and by the inertia of the liquid carried by the thread.

2. A device for conditioning a thread which comprises a vessel for holding a conditioning liquid, means for guiding the thread along a course in which the thread passes beneath the surface'of the liquid, means for removing excess liquid from'the thread located beyond the point where the thread emerges from the liquid, said means includinga pair of edges spaced in the direction of travel of the thread, there being a space immediately beneath the line of travel of the thread between said edges so that the thread is unsupported except by said'edges, at least one of said edges being sharp, the guiding means for the thread including means located beyond said sharp edge and so positioned with respect'thereto.

as to cause the thread to change direction abruptly as it passes over said sharp edge, whereby excess liquid is removed from the thread at said sharp edge by the scraping action thereof and by the inertia of the liquid carried by the thread.

3. A device for conditioning a thread which comprises a vessel for holding a conditioning liquid, thread guiding means for guiding the thread into the vessel, guide means for guiding the thread out of the vessel, means within the vessel for guiding the thread beneath the level of the liquid therein, and a stationary element located between the point where the thread emerges from the liquid and is guided out of the vessel for removing excess liquid from the thread, said stationary element having a sharp edge defined by two planes intersecting at an angle less than 90 over which the thread travels, the means for guiding the thread out of the vessel being so positioned with respect to said sharp edge as to cause the thread to change direction abruptly as it passes over said sharp edge, whereby excess liquid is removed from the thread at said sharp edge by the scraping action thereof and by the inertia of the liquid carried by the thread, and a baffle located beyond said sharp edge and positioned to intercept particles of liquid thrown from the thread by inertia and return them to the vessel.

4. A device for conditioning a thread which comprises a vessel for holding a conditioning liquid, means for guiding a thread beneath the surface of the liquid within the vessel, a plurality of mountings in the vessel, said mountings being at different heights in the vessel, said thread guiding means including a guide member supportable in any of said mountings, so that its guiding surface may be positioned at different depths below the surface of the liquid in the vessel, means including a sharp edge located beyond the point where the thread emerges from the liquid for removing excess liquid from the thread, and means for guiding the thread after it emerges from the liquid including means located beyond said sharp edge and so positioned with respect thereto as to cause the thread to change direction abruptly as it passes over said sharp edge, whereby excess liquid is removed from the thread at said sharp edge by the scraping action thereof and by the inertia of the liquid carried by the thread.

5. A device for conditioning a thread which comprises a vessel for holding a conditioning liquid, means for guiding a thread beneath the surface of the liquid within the vessel, a plurality of mountings in the vessel spaced in the direction of travel of the thread through the vessel, said mountings being at different heights in the vessel. said thread guiding means including a guide member supportable in any of said mountings, whereby its guiding surface may be positioned at different depths below the surface of the liquid in the vessel, means including a sharp edge located beyond the point where the thread emerges from the liquid for removing excess liquid from the thread, and means for guiding the thread after it emerges from the liquid including means located beyond said sharp edge and so positioned with respect thereto as to cause the thread to change direction abruptly as it passes over said sharp edge, whereby excess liquid is removed from the thread at said sharp edge by the scraping action thereof and by the inertia of the liquid carried by the thread.

6. A device for conditioning a thread which 1 comp-rises a vessel for holding a conditioning liquid, means for guiding a thread beneath the surface of the liquid within the vessel, a plurality of mountings in the vessel spaced in the direction of travel of the thread through the vessel, said thread guiding means including guide members supported in said mountings with their guide surfaces at different depths below the surface of the liquid in the vessel, means including a sharp edge located beyond the point where the thread emerges from the liquid for removing excess liquid from the thread, and means for guiding the thread after it emerges from the liquid including means located beyond said sharp edge and so positioned with respect thereto as to cause the thread to change direction abruptly as it passes over said sharp edge, whereby excess liquid is removed from the thread at said sharp edge by the scraping action thereof and by the inertia of the liquid carried by the thread.

7. A device for conditioning a thread which comprises a vessel for holding a conditioning liquid, means for guiding a thread beneath the surface of the liquid within the vessel, a plurality of mountings in the vessel spaced in the direction of travel of the thread through the vessel, said thread guiding means including non-floatable guide members supported in said mountings with their guiding surface at different depths belowv the surface of the liquid in the vessel, said non-floatable guide members being free to move vertically in said mountings, means including a sharp edge located beyond the point where the thread emerges from the liquid for removing excess liquid from the thread, and means for guiding the thread after it emerges from the liquid including means located beyond said sharp edge and so positioned with respect thereto as to cause the thread to change direction abruptly as it passes over said sharp edge, whereby excess liquid is removed from the thread at said sharp edge by the scraping action thereof and by the inertia of the liquid carried by the thread.

8. A device for conditioning a thread which comprises a vessel for holding a conditioning liquid, thread guiding means for guiding the thread into the vessel, guide means for guiding the thread out of the vessel, means within the vessel for guiding the thread beneath the level of the liquid therein, a plurality of mountings in the vessel spaced in the direction of travel of the thread through the vessel, said thread guiding means including guide members suported in said mountings with their guiding surfaces at different depths below the surface of the liquid in the vessel, and a stationary element located between the point where the thread emerges from the liquid and is guided out of the vessel for removing excess liquid from the thread, said stationary element having a sharp edge over which the thread travels, the means for guiding the thread out of the vessel being so positioned with respect to said sharp edge as to cause the thread to change direction abruptly as it passes over said sharp edge, whereby excess liquid is removed from the thread at said sharp edge by the scraping action thereof and by the inertia of the liquid carried by the thread.

JOHN GIFI. 

